


Like Real People do

by alexandermylove



Category: The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Artist Alec Lightwood, Awkward Flirting, Awkwardness, M/M, Meet-Cute, Musician Magnus Bane, Shy Alec Lightwood, Writer Alec Lightwood
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-03
Updated: 2019-07-03
Packaged: 2019-10-03 08:34:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 12,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17280686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alexandermylove/pseuds/alexandermylove
Summary: He went back to his book, quickly getting caught up in the story. He was so caught up that he didn't hear the voice that yelled: "Look out!" He didn't see the football coming straight toward his head. Malec and Heronstairs AU!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello Hello! This story here is my love child and if you guys are interested I'm trying to give it a new home here on the archive. So let me know what you think and I'll continue to post! 
> 
> A few notes: This is based solely on the books, not the TV show. This also takes place in 2015 (because that's when I started the story but that's not very important is it lmao)

_I could recognize him by touch alone, by smell; I would know him blind, by the way his breaths came and his feet struck the earth. I would know him in death, at the end of the world._

Alec reread the passage once and then twice and then a third time.

He couldn't help but think that love like that sounded like an amazing feeling. Something he himself had not experienced, at least not truly. He vaguely remembers how when he was younger, he had believed that he was in love with his adopted brother Jace. He snorts when he thinks of all the wasted years now.

He went back to his book, quickly getting caught up in the story.

He was so caught up that he didn't hear the voice that yelled: "Look out!"

He didn't see the football coming straight toward his head.

* * *

 Alec opened his eyes to discover that he was on his back.

He didn't remember deciding to sleep.

He didn't remember lying down.

He didn't remember having someone there with him, or putting his head in their lap, or giving them permission to run their fingers through his hair.

What the hell had happened?

He groaned before asking as much.

There was a quick intake of breath from above him and the fingers in his hair stilled.

"Oh! You're awake. Thank goodness."

The voice that spoke was unfamiliar but Alec had to admit that it was beautiful. Soft and smooth and a slight accent that he couldn't place.

Slowly, Alec sat up.

His head hurt and he might have felt a bit dizzy too but he didn't want to focus on that right now. He wanted to focus on figuring out what had happened.

He turned his head to look at the person whose lap he had just been in and froze.

The man that was currently sitting next to him was possibly- no scratch that out- was the most beautiful person that he had ever seen in his life.

He had long, shiny black hair that was streaked at the tips with possibly every color of the rainbow, that extended beyond his shoulders. Alec assumed that it had once been held back by a scrunchie but most of it was now hanging loosely around his face. His skin was smooth caramel with not a single blemish to be found. His almond eyes were a bright golden-green color that Alec had never seen before and were framed by black glasses. And his lips had a red tint to them as if he was wearing-lipstick?

Alec didn't know what to say.

It wasn't every day he woke up with his head in an extremely attractive guy's lap but he couldn't just sit there staring at him.

"Umm-hi." Alec started. He was aware of the fact that he sounded extremely awkward but he kept going. "Who are you?"

The man pushed his glasses further up his nose from where they had slipped down before answering, "Hi uh- I'm the guy that sorta, accidentally, hit you in the head with a football-"

Alec blinked and raised his eyebrows, "You did what?"

The man let out an amused sounding breath, almost a laugh but not quite there, "Yeah. My friend, Ragnor, somehow convinced me to come to the park and be on his stupid team even though he knows that I am horrible at all things sports related and I just- I don't know how it happened exactly, but one second I was holding the ball, and the next it was heading straight for you. Sorry about that by the way."

Alec ran a hand through his hair. So that was why he was feeling this way. Because he had been hit in the head.

"How long was I out?"

The man tucked a lock of hair behind his ear and Alec couldn't help but follow the path of his long, brown, fingers or imagine what it would be like to be able to touch the smooth strands himself.

"Only a few minutes." The man's voice brought him out of his head.

He mentally berated himself to pay attention and stop thinking of this man, that he didn't even know, in that way.

The man furrowed his eyebrows, stretched out his fingers to touch Alec's temple, and the blue-eyed man shivered. Not from pain but from something else that he didn't want to put a word to.

"Does it hurt?"

Alec was quick to shake his head, "No. I'm fine."

The man still didn't look convinced so Alec continued on, "Really, I'm fine. Thank you for staying with me to make sure."

The man smiled, revealing bright white teeth and laughed once. A piece of an actual laugh that sounded like the beginning chords of a song. "It was the least I could do, trust me-" He pauses as if just realizing something, "In all of this I haven't managed to catch your name, darling."

Alec's heart skipped a beat at the endearment that had just come out of the man's mouth. He had never been called that before and the newness of it was enough to make him pause- pause for probably too long.

The man raised an eyebrow and Alec managed to stutter out, "Oh! Right, sorry, I'm-umm...I'm Alec."

He felt his cheeks growing warm at the fact that he was making an idiot out of himself in front of this attractive man. He fought the urge to smack his hand to his forehead and facepalm.

But the man seemed to be amused. He smiled again, "Alec," He had never heard his name spoken like that before. This man made it sound intimate and sensual and Alec wasn't sure how he was supposed to feel about that.

"I'm Magnus." The man said and Alec couldn't help but think that the name fit: It was unique and beautiful just like him.

"I would say that it's nice to meet you," Magnus continued, "but I'm sure it would have been nicer if we had met under better conditions."

Alec smiled at that and the man-Magnus- had that look on his face again as if he was considering something. His eyes suddenly lit up and he asked, "Can I see your phone?"

Alec shot him a confused look but handed it over nonetheless.

He watched as Magnus quickly unlocked his phone-since Alec never saw the point in putting a passcode on it- went to the contacts app and typed in...his number?

Magnus handed the phone back to him with a smile, "Call me so we can meet up again under better conditions. There will be no football's involved, I promise." He crossed his heart with a long finger.

Alec's heart was beating loudly in his ears and he didn't know the right thing to say and holy crap, had it only been a few minutes ago that he had thought that it must be nice to experience love?

"I think- I think I'd like that." He finally managed to get out.

"Good," Magnus replied before standing up.

Alec hadn't been able to tell when they were sitting but his legs were long, so long they seemed to go on for miles. He had a feeling that Magnus was taller than him and usually that never happened.

"'Till next time." Was the man's farewell and with that, he was turning around and walking away.

When he had finally disappeared, Alec almost didn't want to believe it. Had that really happened or was he actually still unconscious and hallucinating?

Only one way to find out:

He looked down at his phone, unlocked it, and saw that the contacts app was still open.

He felt his eyes widen because there it was.

There was the man's name:

Magnus Bane.

It was real.

He was real.

Holy shit.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh I'm so excited to see that so many people still remember this story!! I love all of you thanks for joining me again!! And as for my new readers- hey!! I hope you continue to enjoy my story!

The next day, Alec had to pick up his little brother from soccer practice.

He tried to act like nothing was wrong, like he hadn't been up half the night contemplating calling Magnus, and the other half dreaming about golden-green eyes, caramel skin, and midnight dark hair.

He smiled, ruffled his little brother's hair, turned on the boy's favorite radio channel, and tried to engage in small talk.

He actually believed that he had done a good job but when he finally brought his car to a stop in front of their parent's house, he discovered just how wrong he was.

Max looked at him with narrowed gray eyes, "Okay what's up with you? You're acting strange today."

Alec felt the blood drain out of his face.

He should have known better than to try to hide something from Max. The younger boy was just way too observant for his own good, always paying attention to the little things that other people would normally miss.

"What do you mean?" Alec tried to act like he had no idea what his brother was talking about.

"You have circles underneath your eyes as if you didn't sleep last night, your hand keeps twitching towards your phone but you never take it out, and you just paled when I called you out on acting strangely." Max looked up at him expectantly with a raised eyebrow.

Alec didn't know whether he should laugh or cry at the fact that he was so transparent. He sighed and rested his forehead on the steering wheel for a moment before sitting up again.

His eyes strayed to the house outside of the car window rather than meeting his brother's, "Okay, fine you got me. I met someone yesterday in the park and he gave me his number." He tried to meet Max's eyes for a second before settling on the boy's forehead instead, "I have circles underneath my eyes because I was up late trying to decide whether or not to call him."

Max looked at him for a moment before his face split into a smile and let out a relieved sounding breath, "Oh. That's it?" Alec felt heat start to rise into his cheeks. "You had me worried that it was a real problem there but the answer for this is simple: you call him."

When it was put that way, it did sound simple. Why did it feel like anything but?

"But what if-what if-?" What if...what? He didn't know how to end the question.

Max gave him a look that made Alec feel as if  _he_ was the inexperienced 14-year-old in the car.

"He gave you his number so  _clearly_  he wants you to."

That made Alec pause. Max did have a point. If Magnus wasn't interested in Alec, he could have just left after apologizing and that would have been the end of it. Magnus wanted him to call. But why couldn't Alec work up the nerve?

"I'm taking relationship advice from my baby brother, I've hit an all-time low." He tried to joke so that he didn't have to think about it anymore.

"Well, you wouldn't have to if you stopped acting so stupid. See you later, Alec." Max said before motioning to get out of the car.

"Yeah, later-" Alec replied automatically. Before the boy could get out though he was saying, "Hey! Don't tell anyone about this, okay? Can this just stay between the two of us?"

Max mimed zipping his lips and throwing away the key. "My lips are sealed."

* * *

Maybe Alec hadn't been clear enough.

Maybe Max had misheard him and mistakenly heard him say 'let's keep this between the  _three_  of us' instead of 'the  _two_  of us' because mere hours after Alec had dropped him off, he got a phone call from the one person that he didn't want to tell. At least not right now.

"Tell. Me. Everything." The voice demanded from the other side of the phone as soon as he picked it up.

"Uh-I don't know what you're talking about, Izzy-"

"Don't try to play dumb!" She practically screamed at him, "Max told me about how you met some guy in the park and he gave you his number. I want to know everything and I won't leave you alone until I do."

"Don't you have other things to worry about like  _passing your classes_  instead of my love life?"

"So you're admitting to having a love life!"

Alec groaned. There was no way to win this. "There really isn't very much to tell, Iz."

"I don't care. Alec, we can do this the easy way where you only have to tell me, or we can do this the hard way where I add Jace to this call and you can explain it to the both of us."

Alec paled.

He was no longer closeted, all of his siblings knew about the fact that he was gay so that wasn't what scared him. He just didn't want to deal with his basically nonexistent love life being scrutinized by all of his siblings in the course of just a few hours.

"Okay, okay, you win-" And he went on to tell her about what had happened the day before. About how he had been in the park, getting hit by a football and passing out, waking up in Magnus' lap, and how the man had put his number in Alec's phone before leaving.

When he finished his tale, Izzy let out a squeal. "It's like a movie! I call being the best woman at your wedding!"

Alec started choking. When he was finally able to start breathing normally again he tried to speak, "Wedding? Iz, I know  _nothing_ about him."

" _Technicalities_ , you guys are definitely meant to be together." His little sister insisted.

He pinched the bridge of his nose, "I'm hanging up now." He said exasperatedly.

"Wait!" She yelled before he could press the 'end' button.

"What?" He asked rather reluctantly. If she started talking about weddings again-

"Promise me you'll call him."

"Iz-"

"Promise me, Alec. You know I won't stop bugging you until you do." She tried to pass it off as if she was joking but there was an undertone to her voice that made it sound like she was worried about him. Worried that he was going to blow his only chance at 'true love' or whatever else rom-com movie fantasy was running through her mind.

"Fine." He finally said after a moment of silence because it was obviously easier to agree than to argue. "I promise."

"Thank you."

He could have sworn that she sounded relieved. 

* * *

It was a week after their meeting in the park and Alec's hand was shaking.

He had spent the last forty-five minutes working himself up to this. 'This' being having Magnus' contact information opened up and his thumb hovering over the green phone symbol. 'This' being the farthest that he had ever gotten to actually calling Magnus.

The man had given Alec his number, he had told Alec to call him, so why was he so nervous?

Maybe it was because this sort of thing never happened to him, his younger siblings were way better at the whole 'getting people to like them' thing. They just had to open their mouths and people were all too willing to fall over themselves trying to keep their attention.

Maybe it was because Magnus was so attractive that it was almost unbelievable. Alec was lucky to have someone glance in his direction twice but Magnus was the kind of person that you never wanted to stop looking at. He couldn't get Magnus'  _haireyesglassesskinlipshands_ out of his head no matter what he was doing.

He wanted to be in the other man's presence again, he wanted to hear his voice, but he just couldn't find the nerve to call him.

But then his head was suddenly filled with his siblings' voices. Max telling him not to be stupid and Izzy forcing him to make that promise.

He kind of felt like an idiot for going through with this, and his heart was pounding so loud in his ears he couldn't hear anything else, but he tapped the icon and his phone started to call Magnus. 

It rang once.

Twice.

Three times.

Halfway through the fourth he was convinced that it was pointless, it would be better to hang up before it went to voicemail and manage to embarrass himself further.

Plus, he would still fulfill both of his sibling's wishes. Technically, he  _had_  called, Magnus just hadn't-

"Hello?" A voice cut through his rapid thought process.

"Hi- is this Magnus?" He asked, but of course, he knew that it was. Alec felt like he would recognize that smooth and melodic voice anywhere.

"The one and only. And who is the owner of this lovely voice?" Clearly, Magnus did not feel the same way about Alec's voice if he had forgotten it already.

"Er- it's me. I mean, Alec. Alec Lightwood. The person you kinda-"

"Hit in the head with a football?" Magnus cut him off quickly, "Yeah, I remember you. I was beginning to think that you would never call."

Heat rushed into his cheeks. "Oh, uh-sorry about that. I was just-" But before he could spit out some lame excuse, he was interrupted again. Not by Magnus this time but a different, unfamiliar voice coming from the other side of the phone.

"Maggie! I can't find my keys and I need to meet Jem in 20 minutes!"

It seemed that Magnus had moved the phone away from his ear because when he spoke again, his voice sounded farther away. "Did you look on the TV?" He asked.

"Yeah!" Replied the unfamiliar voice.

"Did you look under the couch?" Magnus tried again.

"Yes!"

He heard Magnus sigh, and when he spoke again his voice was closer, "Sorry about this, darling. Give me five minutes and I'll call you back-"

"Okay." Alec managed to get out before the call cut off. 

He tried not to dwell on the fact that he couldn't get out a single sentence without stuttering or just sounding like a plain fool.

Even if his mind wanted to go in that direction, Magnus was true to his word and he called five minutes later, cutting off his train of thought.

Alec wanted to say something that wasn't awkward, something that wouldn't make him sound stupid or like he didn't know what he was doing- even though it was true.

He scrambled for something, anything, and the word that his mouth ended up forming was:

"Maggie?"

He was just about to start kicking himself because there he went and did it again but then Magnus let out a sound that was half laughing, half groan, "An accursed nickname that I've been trying to shake for years." He could practically hear Magnus rolling his eyes.

And things suddenly felt...easier.

Because this small thing reminded him that Magnus was more than just some insanely hot guy who by some miracle seemed to have been interested in him, it reminded him that Magnus was a person with a silly nickname, that was bad at sports, and wore glasses that slid down his nose.

"It's...cute." He finished his sentence awkwardly.

Magnus didn't seem perturbed about his awkwardness though, " _You're_  cute." The man said dismissively as if it were a basic fact that everyone should know and Alec felt his cheeks warming again. "But moving on from my annoying roommate...so what do I owe the pleasure of this phone call?"

"Well-um- you did-uh- tell me to call you if I wanted to see you again-" And he was stuttering again. He fought the urge to slam his forehead against a wall.

"And you finally decided that you did after a week?"

"...Yes?"

Had Magnus already lost interest in the course of a week? Alec wouldn't necessarily be surprised. It was his siblings that were good at demanding attention, he, on the other hand, not so much. Not that he really minded but he had hoped-hoped what exactly?

He felt his palms growing sweaty and his heart pounded painfully against his chest. Could he and his siblings have been wrong?

"I'm glad. I had begun to think that you had forgotten me." Magnus finally said and the answer was so unexpected that Alec almost dropped his phone.

The mere idea of someone forgetting about Magnus seemed implausible.

"What? No- no- I just- I- sorry about that."

He heard the sound of Magnus laughing and it was enough to make Alec's pounding heart skip a beat.

"Don't worry about it, sweetheart. You can make it up to me-"


	3. Chapter 3

It was two days after Alec had called Magnus and he was late.

He was all too aware of the time that was passing by as tried to calm himself down enough to go back to the cafe.

He had initially arrived early with plenty of time to spare, but before he could enter the cafe that Magnus had chosen for them to meet at, he was hit with a wave of anxiety. And since he was already anxious, to begin with, this double whammy of emotion hit him just as hard as a pile of bricks to the face.

Instead of entering the building, he had walked to the park that was just a block away and then spent the last however many minutes pacing, and trying to clear his head enough to build up some semblance of calm. Thinking about meeting Magnus, and the fact that he was late, and not knowing how Magnus would react to him being late left him feeling like he needed to vomit. He was just about to take out his phone to text Magnus and tell him that maybe it would be best if they just canceled but before he could, he was cut off by a voice that almost made him jump out of his skin.

"Hi." It was a voice he had only heard a handful of times but recognized immediately.

"Oh-um-hi-" He turned around to face the person who had spoken.

Magnus smiled down at him for a moment before speaking again, "Okay, so I've watched you make twenty-two full rotations and I don't know whether I should be amused or concerned. So please enlighten me, darling."

Crap.

Magnus had seen him borderline having a meltdown in the park? It is was bad enough that he was late but now the other man probably thought there was something wrong with him too.

"Oh-um- Please don't be concerned."

Magnus raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. "You sure?"

"Yeah." He breathed out.

Magnus looked at him for a moment longer before smiling again. "Alright. Now that we got that cleared up, can we go get coffee now?"

"Yeah," Alec responded again because now that Magnus was here in front of him, he had no reason or excuse to cancel. And now that the man was here in front of him, he didn't really want to.

Alec's memory had not served him justice. He didn't think it would have been possible, but Magnus was even more beautiful than he remembered.

His hair was left loose and neatly tucked behind his ears, he must have chosen to forgo his glasses and switch to contacts because his eyes were fully exposed and sparking in the sun, and his lips were a bright red color. 

He was so beautiful and standing this close to him, Alec couldn't help but feel that he himself just-

Wasn't.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later and Magnus was looking over at him with disappointment.

"I offer to buy you whatever coffee you want and you choose to get black?"

Alec shrugged and looked down at the table between them. "I like it."

"But why?"

Alec looked back up and found himself smiling at the thinly veiled look of disgust that the other man was shooting towards his cup of coffee.

"I don't know. I guess I like my coffee tasting the way it's supposed to. It no longer does once you add all of that random crap to it."

He nodded toward the concoction in Magnus's brown hand that was more milk, sugar, and caramel than actual coffee.

Magnus looked scandalized and Alec's heart felt like it was going to stop beating.

What if he had he somehow managed to offend the other man by judging his coffee preferences?

But then Magnus just gave him one of his easy smiles, laughed once, and started to defend his drink which he claimed might not fully be coffee but at least 'didn't taste like death'.

And they bantered for a bit. It was so easy that if not for the fact that Magnus was an insanely attractive guy that was somehow interested in him, it was just like arguing with Jace or Max.

When the bickering finally died down, Magnus brought up a new topic: "Tell me about yourself."

Alec's mind went completely blank.

"What do you want to know?"

"Everything," Magnus replied simply.

Alec took another sip of his coffee to buy more time. "That's a bit broad."

There was another one of those smiles that made Alec's heart start stuttering in his chest. "Fine. Then let's start small. You're already heard my wretched nickname," He rolled his eyes mid-sentence, "So how about you? Do you have one?"

This question was easy at least.

"It's Alec-" He replied simply before sipping his coffee again.

The other man's eyebrows furrowed in confusion and gestured for Alec to continue speaking.

"My full name is Alexander."

Magnus let out a sound that almost sounded like a purr before repeating the name back. Usually, Alec hated the sound of his full name passing through anyone's lips, even his own, but the way Magnus said it- slow and intimately- made heat flood into his cheeks.

He attempted to raise an eyebrow but Magnus didn't acknowledge it.

The other man leaned forward slightly, "Tell me more-"

And they were going back and forth again, sharing small random tidbits: Alec mostly spoke about his siblings because it was easier, and they were probably more interesting to hear about than he was too. Which proceeded in Magnus telling him about his two adoptive brothers who also lived with him here in the city. The one that had interrupted their phone call was Will who Magnus claimed could misplace his own head if it wasn't attached to his body. And the other was Ragnor- who was, direct quote here: 'the grumpiest person in the history of grumpiness'.

Talking to Magnus was fun, it was exciting, it was exhilarating. It awakened butterflies in his stomach and set them fluttering in a way he hadn't felt in years.

But it was also scary.

Alec liked him.

One could even say he liked Magnus a lot.

And liking led to loving, and if he fell in love with Magnus, he knew things would never be the same.

He'd probably just end up with a broken heart and he didn't think he would be able to handle that kind of pain. Not again. 

But for right now, it was fun, and that was all that really mattered.

Right? 

* * *

The whole hour that they were at the cafe, neither of them made a move to touch the other.

Alec didn't mind much. Just looking at Magnus was enough to overwhelm him, he didn't know how he would react if the other man made a move to hold his hand or even attempt to kiss him. He felt slightly lightheaded just thinking about how amazing Magnus's lips would feel pressed against his own.

But then he was quite literally snapped out of his daze by Magnus snapping his fingers in front of his face.

"Hello-earth to Alec?"

"Huh?" He replied stupidly, turning his head to focus on the real, living, breathing Magnus that was right next to him.

The man had insisted on walking him back to his apartment and Alec would have not been able to say no even if he wanted to.

"What's happening in that pretty little head of yours?" Magnus asked.

"Oh-um-nothing." He insisted. Magnus's expression told him that the other man did not believe him, but thankfully he dropped the subject.

They reached Alec's apartment building two minutes later and as Alec searched in his wallet for his keys, Magnus spoke, "I had fun today."

His wallet almost slipped out of his grip and his eyes widened."Really?"

Magnus tilted his head to the side. "Why do you sound so surprised?"

"It's just that-um I uh, have no idea what I'm doing and you're, um, glamorous." Alec felt his eyes growing impossibly wider. He had not meant to say any of that-especially the last bit. Obviously, it was true but that was not something that one just casually spewed out after a first date. He wanted to run into his apartment and lock the door behind him so that he didn't have to see Magnus's reaction.

But instead of looking down at Alec as if he had suddenly grown three heads, Magnus just grinned and kept going as if it was something that he heard every day.

It probably was.

"Thank you. You're not so bad yourself. I'd like to see you again."

"Really?" Alec repeated because he couldn't think of anything else to say. He had just assumed that after this, Magnus would move on to someone else that was better and more interesting than he was.

Magnus laughed. "Yes, really. I'll text you, okay?"

Alec nodded wordlessly.

It made no sense for this man that he had just met to be able to turn his brain into mush and leave him a blushing, stuttering mess.

It made no sense whatsoever but he was already in too deep to want to stop.

So he breathed out, "Okay."

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> woahh first Heronstairs chapter (they pop up every four) Will POV!!

Will was starting to get overwhelmed and that was really hindering his ability to do what he needed to do. 

He had been late for so many of their dates in the past that he had lost track of the number, but this time- this time he had  _promised_ his boyfriend that he would not be late. Crossed his heart and swore to die- the whole shebang.

But if he didn't find his keys, he wouldn't be able to keep that promise.

So from his position on the floor, he yelled out, "Maggie!" Because Ragnor was no help whatsoever when it came to these things, "I can't find my keys and I need to meet Jem in 20 minutes!"

"Did you look on the tv?" Magnus' voice came yelling back from his bedroom.

"Yeah!" He replied quickly, getting up from the floor and looking once more just in case he had missed it the first time.

"Did you look under the couch?" Magnus made another suggestion.

"Yes!"

That was the place he had just looked. 

Will found himself wishing that he could be some kind of magical creature that could just snap his fingers and make the keys appear in his hands. Or better yet, just be able to make a portal that could teleport him to Jem's apartment.

Magnus walked into the living room with a vaguely annoyed look on his face.

He pushed his glasses up his nose before sighing and saying, "You know that extremely attractive guy that I managed to hit in the head with a football after you guys convinced me to play with you? Well, he's  _finally_ called me and you're mucking up my chances with him by being an idiot."

This would usually be the point where Will replied with something sarcastic or flippant but he was cut off when the realization of what his roommate had just said sunk in. "Wait- that guy finally called you?"

Magnus nodded once.

"Shit," Will continued, "Sorry, but I promised Jem that I actually wouldn't be late this time and I don't want to make him angry by breaking that promise."

Magnus rolled his eyes. "Jem couldn't be angry with you even if he wanted to but  _fine_ -"

His friend trailed off before turning around and walking into Will's bedroom. He was in there for all of thirty seconds before walking back out again, Will's key ring hanging off of one of his long fingers.

Will felt his eyes widen. He would never be able to understand how Magnus was able to do that. Instantly find whatever it was that Will had managed to misplace whether it be his keys, or a shirt, or even that one time when he had placed the Chairman on top of the fridge. "Where were they this time?"

Magnus gave him a pointed look. "On your bedside table."

Now Will's eyebrows furrowed. Hadn't he looked there? Or had he just walked right past it and gone straight to the dresser and the closet?

His backtracking was cut off by Magnus throwing his keys at him. "Now go before you're late.  _Again_."

"Right." He said, moving toward the front of their apartment. "Thanks!" He called over his shoulder before closing the door between them. 

* * *

Will remembered the first time he had seen Jem.

It had been eight months ago, after a long day of work. It had been an unusually stressful day at the office so he had completely forgotten about the fact that Magnus had told him he was having someone over.

So when he opened the door and was greeted by the sound of violin music he was more prepared to snap and lash out in annoyance rather than hand out compliments.

"Magnus, I am not in the mood for your shi-oh-" He cut himself off suddenly when he saw that the person playing was not his roommate, but instead the extremely attractive man that was currently on their couch.

The extremely attractive man who was no longer playing but was instead looking at him with a raised eyebrow.

Will remembered thinking that the man next to Magnus was the most beautiful person that he had ever seen.

And that was saying something considering he had met plenty and even lived with a couple of pretty beautiful people.

This man had pale skin, delicate features, long graceful limbs, and fingers that looked like they were made specifically for creating art in some way shape or form. But what really caught Will's attention was his hair, which was a bright, shining silvery color that one could never achieve by simply dying it.

When Will took a closer look at the man's eyes, he noticed that they were the same beautiful, mesmerizing, silver that he never wanted to stop looking at.

But of course, the moment was broken by Magnus loudly clearing his throat. Will's eyes went over to the golden-green ones of his roommate. He realized that he had just been standing there, staring like some kind of creep or something.

"Oh-um-hey Maggie." The man's nose crinkled in distaste at Will's use of his nickname. When they were teenagers growing up in London, Magnus used to practically beg Will to stop using it because 'it was childish' or 'immature' but eventually, he had just given up- not that he hated it any less now than he had all those years ago.

The silver-haired man shot him an amused look but before he could speak, Magnus cut in, "Anyway-Will, this is Jem and Jem, this is my annoying roommate Will."

Prior to Magnus speaking, he had been frozen but the sound of his roommate's voice was enough to snap him out of whatever state he had been in and he was able to reply:

"I prefer to be known as the 'devilishly handsome' roommate but I suppose 'annoying' works too." Will grinned down at the man who responded with a smirk that did funny things to his heart.

The man set down his violin ran a hand through his hair, and got up, offering his hand out to Will.

"It's nice to meet you 'devilishly handsome yet annoying' roommate, Will." He had a voice that Will never wanted to stop listening to. Soft and flowing and as lovely as the music that he had been able to create with his violin.

Will took his hand and it was warm and soft in his own. "It's nice to meet you too-Jem?" That was a rather odd name. Perhaps he hadn't heard Magnus correctly.

The man nodded, "It's short for James, but no one really calls me that except for my parents."

And Jem-James- was smiling and Will was smiling and he was so overwhelmed by the sheer beauty of the man currently standing in front of him. But then Jem was letting go and Magnus was saying something that he couldn't hear over the sound of his heart.

What?" Will asked his roommate stupidly.

"I said that you're interrupting our practice time so if you could kindly make yourself scarce-" Magnus was currently trying to hide his amused look but Will noticed the curve to his lips and the way his eyes shone.

Will would have plenty of time to grill Magnus for not introducing him to his attractive friend at an earlier time, later, but at that moment he had simply said, "Yeah. Sure. Whatever."

With one last look into Jem's magnificent eyes, he went into his room and closed the door behind him.

Instead of going into his bed, he had sunk to the floor and pressed his ear up against the wall.

Thinking back, he felt a bit foolish, but at that moment he had been desperate to hear the sound of Jem's voice. He hadn't even been able to make out the individual words but it was enough for him.

Magnus and Jem eventually stopped talking and resumed their practice.

That night Will had fallen asleep on the floor to the sound of twin violins playing together in harmony and his dreams were filled with the color silver. 

* * *

In the present, Will rushed up the staircase, taking them two, sometimes three at a time. But of course, by the time he reached the landing, his boyfriend was already there- leaning against the door frame of his apartment, arms crossed over his chest, and a slight smirk playing on the corner of his lips.

"You're late," Jem said in his voice that still managed to make Will's heart do backflips in his chest.

"No, I'm not, I'm-" He looked down at his watch to see that it was 7:01. Exactly one minute late. "Fuck. Okay, I'm late. Sorry, love."

Jem rolled his eyes and his smirk widened, "Mm-hmm." He pushed off of the door frame and started walking toward Will.

He was pretty sure that even though he was late  _again,_ he would at least be granted a small kiss from the other man, but he was proven wrong when his boyfriend proceeded to walk straight past him and started down the stairs.

He was about four or five down when he looked over his shoulder at Will. "You ready to go or do you want to stand there staring at me some more?"

Will grinned down at his boyfriend before saying, "I think you're forgetting something."

Jem raised an eyebrow, quickly catching on, and started patting his pockets as if he really believed him, "Hmm-phone... keys...wallet...what else is there?"

His boyfriend climbed back up three of the stairs so that they could more-or-less be at eye level. His eyes were shining and amused as they met Will's blue ones.

Will raised his hands so that they could frame Jem's face, he ran his thumbs over the sharp cheekbones once before leaning forward and pressing their lips together.

It was meant to just be a simple peck, but like every other time his lips had touched Jem's, he couldn't stop there. He always needed more and Jem was always more than willing to give it to him.

By the time they were able to break away, they were both panting and struggling to catch their breath.

They would probably be late for the movie they were going to see but Will didn't care.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lmaooo fun fact I too struggle with finding things that are in completely obvious places such as, my bed. But that's what roommates are for right! Love to hear what you guys think of this story so far so feel free to comment, bookmark, and give kudos!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lmaooo holy shit my bad for not posting at all I was living in Europe for a bit but I'm back now! Again remember this story takes place in 2015!

A week after they had met up for coffee, Alec dropped the book he was reading in favor of practically diving off his couch to pick up his ringing phone.

Magnus had stayed true to his word when he said that he would text Alec. 

They had texted every day and the other man was just as flirty- if not more- in text than in real life. Almost every single text that the other man sent made Alec smile, whether it was because Magnus had a tendency to use way too many emojis, because he seemed to have an unlimited arsenal of reaction gifs, or maybe it was just because he was so funny.

Alec felt like he would never get bored of texting Magnus but he kept his urge to do so at all times under control in fear of annoying the other man.

This would be the first time Magnus had called him since they had met and Alec's heart skipped a beat at the prospect of hearing his voice again.

But when he looked down at his phone screen and saw the contact name flashing up at him, he took a deep breath to try to mentally prepare himself for the conversation that was about to happen.

He tapped the screen to pick up the call. "Hello?"

"Alec!" A familiar voice came from the other side of the phone, "Why am I only just now hearing about you having a boyfriend?"

Alec groaned into the phone, "I'm going to kill Max."

"Wait _-Max_? Does Max know about this? How the hell did a 14-year-old hear about you having a boyfriend before I did?" Jace sounded scandalized and maybe even a little bit hurt.

Alec normally would have felt bad but since none of the accusations were true he just felt exasperated. "Jace, calm down. You didn't hear about me having a boyfriend because I don't have one. Who told you that anyway?"

"Izzy." Jace answered automatically.

"Of course." Alec pinched the bridge of his nose. "Don't you three have more important things to do than gossip about me?"

"Probably- but stop trying to change the subject! I want to hear more about your secret relationship."

"I'm not in a secret relationship!"

"Then how do you explain the guy that you met in the park?"

He didn't know how to explain what Magnus was in relation to him.

"I've known him for barely two weeks, Jace-" He tried to explain.

"But you've gone out on dates?"

 _One_  date.

"Yeah…"

"Then you are in a relationship!" He almost banged his head against his coffee table. How had Max turned out to be the most mature of his siblings?

"No, I'm not. We haven't even-" Alec started but cut himself off when he realized what he was about to say.

"Haven't even what?" Jace asked, instantly catching his slip up and pouncing on it instead of letting it go.

"Nothing," Alec said, responding way too fast.

"Haven't even  _what,_ Alec?"

The man considered telling his little brother but he also considered hanging up and changing his phone number.

Just the thought of talking to Jace about his 'relationship drama' was so embarrassing that heat started to creep up his cheeks so option 2 was looking pretty good at that moment.

Before he could carry it out, his phone buzzed once alerting him that he was getting a call. He looked at the screen, seeing that this time it actually  _was_ Magnus.

"I'm not talking about this with you, Jace. I'm hanging up now." He announced suddenly.

He heard his little brother yelling: "This isn't over!" before he switched calls.

"Hello?" He answered.

"Hey!" Magnus' voice rang through the phone, clear and beautiful and making Alec's heart rate pick up once again.

"Hi-" He repeated because he couldn't think of anything else to say. He tried to switch his phone to his other hand as he racked his empty brain for something-  _anything-_ other than another greeting but halfway through the action his phone slipped from his grip and fell onto the floor.

As he got onto his knees to look for his phone he found himself cursing every deity there was for making him so freaking pathetic and absolutely hopeless when it came to anything having to even remotely deal with relationships or romance.

When he finally found it and brought it up to his ear he heard Magnus say, "Is everything okay on your end, darling?"

"Y-yeah. Sorry. I'm just really bad at this."

"Bad at what?"

"Talking to people."

"You're not  _that_ bad-" Magnus tried to assure him but Alec was quick to cut him off.

"I sound like an idiot."

"'Idiot' isn't the word I'd use, 'adorable' or 'cute' fit so much better."

Alec couldn't remember the last time he had been called 'cute' or 'adorable'- maybe he never had actually. But hearing the way the words flowed out of Magnus' mouth made his face flush with heat.

"Are you blushing? You're totally blushing!" Magnus' voice sounded very amused as he called Alec out and the man felt, even more, blood flood into his face.

"No-" He tried to deny it but his voice came out sounding pretty much the same way it had when he was talking to Jace.

He heard the sound of Magnus laughing. "Don't even try to deny it, sweetheart."

Alec simply sat there, on the floor, waiting for the laughter to finish.

Magnus eventually continued, "But anyway, I didn't call to embarrass you- I called to ask you out again."

Alec's heart skipped a beat. "Really?"

Magnus laughed again, "You need to stop sounding so surprised, love. I've told you that I like you haven't I?"

Alec nearly dropped his phone again.

"No." When he spoke it sounded like he was choking so he cleared his throat and tried again, "No, you haven't."

"Well, now I have. I like you and I want to take you to the movies tomorrow night so what do you say?"

"Uh-umm-yeah. That sounds fun?" It came out more like an awkward question rather than an affirmation but Magnus didn't seem deterred.

"Excellent." The other man replied.

* * *

The movie that Magnus had picked was  _Cinderella_.

It had come out last month but apparently, he hadn't been able to see it because one of his roommates refused to go with him, and the other had gone with his boyfriend.

Alec himself had already seen it too but he wasn't going to tell Magnus that- not after the other man seemed so excited to finally have someone to go with.

It was probably for the best though because halfway through Cinderella's fairy godmother showing up and getting her ready to go to the ball, Magnus reached over and placed his hand on top of Alec's which had been on the armrest.

The second their skin touched, the songs of the movie faded until they were just background noise and he couldn't hear anything other than the drumbeat of his heart pounding in his chest.

He hoped that Magnus couldn't tell that his hand was shaking as he slowly turned it so that it was palm up.

The other man simply squeezed Alec's fingers slightly but it caused so much blood and heat rush into his head that Alec thought he was going to pass out. In his peripheral vision, he saw Magnus turn toward him but he didn't dare look back lest Magnus be able to see how affected he was by such a small act.

It continued on like that for the rest of the movie. Alec would more or less find a way to calm himself down but then Magnus would squeeze their fingers together or run his thumb along the side of his hand and he would be lost again.

When the movie finally ended he assumed that Magnus would just let go, but he didn't. He simply stood up and dragged Alec along with him as he moved through the row and out of the theater.

He attempted to look up but when he met the beautiful golden-green color of Magnus' eyes and found the other man smirking back down at him Alec had to look away again.

"Um-uh- what did you think of the movie?" Alec asked awkwardly, eyes looking around and settling on anything that wasn't the man that was currently holding his hand.

Thankfully Magnus didn't seem to be affected by the awkwardness and he began to gush about just how amazing he thought it was.

The other man led him outside and as they stood on the curb waiting for a taxi, Alec's mind drifted off to what he had almost admitted to Jace:

The fact that he and Magnus had yet to kiss.

Alec tried not to think too much about it but the more he attempted to avoid it, the more the thought crept into his subconscious.

As the days passed, it got harder and harder to stop himself from imagining what it would feel like to have Magnus' lips pressed against his own. To feel the warm skin of his chest under his hands. To have Magnus' long-fingered hands running down his face.

But perhaps he was reading too much into this?

Perhaps when Magnus said 'I like you' he only meant it in a platonic way?

But then his thoughts were cut off abruptly by Magnus kissing him.

Just not on the lips.

He was bringing their joined hands up to his lips and kissing Alec's pale skin.

They were warm and soft just like Alec had imagined and made him feel as if he couldn't get enough air into his lungs.

Surely this couldn't just be a friendship?

Surely the way those green eyes looked as Magnus brought their hands back down again or the way he smiled softly had to mean  _something?_

But Alec never got to find out the answer because a taxi had finally shown up and Magnus was letting go of his hand, leaving Alec feeling strangely cold in its wake.

Alec had no choice but to get into the taxi. With one last promise of 'I'll call you later,' the door was closing and the vehicle was driving away.

Alec rested his forehead against the headrest of the seat in front of him and let out a long sigh.

_He was hopeless at this._


	6. Chapter 6

Magnus took a deep breath and started to play. 

The music came out slow and soft and calming and it was exactly what he needed at that moment.

He gradually increased in tempo until the notes became rushed and wild as if they couldn't wait to be out in the open air and filling up the world. He reached a point where nothing could touch him, where nothing about the past, present, or future mattered. The only thing that existed was him and the music he was able to create.

And he was interrupted by someone knocking on his bedroom door.

He broke off suddenly, breath coming out fast, and heart stuttering in his chest. He lowered his violin and looked over at his doorway to find Jem, leaning up against his door frame with an amused smirk playing on the corner of his lips.

When their eyes met, Jem's smirk widened and he said, "That was a lovely composition. What inspired it?"

Magnus ran a hand through his long black hair and tucked it behind his ears.

He didn't really want to admit that every single note had been the outcome of multiple nights, staying up, thinking about midnight dark hair and brilliant azure eyes.

He didn't want to admit that every movement his fingers made on the strings were meant to fill up the emptiness that was left after the absence of a certain deep, soft-spoken voice.

He didn't want to admit that every second spent playing was an attempt to mimic a truly beautiful laugh that sounded prettier than anything he had ever been able to create.

He didn't want to admit to any of it.

Jem raised an eyebrow, "Or perhaps the right question to ask would be ' _who'_?"

But it was clearly already too late.

"Uh-just some guy that I've been seeing." Magnus tried to act as casually as possible.

Jem glided into the room and sat down next to Magnus on his bed.

The other man's movements were always so graceful and intentional as if they had been choreographed.

Jem would never accidentally hit someone in the head with a football.

His friend raised a silver eyebrow, "Just  _some guy_? Is this the same guy you told me about a couple weeks ago?"

And of course Jem remembered- Ragnor had seemed to forget almost immediately after Magnus had spoken to him- but it wouldn't surprise him if Jem remembered everything Magnus had ever said to him.

"Yeah-" He admitted, somewhat reluctantly.

"Wow, Magnus. I think this is the most smitten I have ever seen you."

Smitten wasn't even close to describing what Magnus felt about Alec.

It had been nearly a month since they had met in the park and with every passing day, he felt himself falling a little bit more.

It didn't help that Alec was not only extraordinarily beautiful but also one of the most amazing people that Magnus had ever met in his entire life. He was sweet and kind and honest, there wasn't a single lie to be found in his face and every word that came out of his mouth was straightforward. When he spoke of his siblings, his voice was always full of love and loyalty and devotion and made it Magnus hope that one day Alec would talk about  _him_  the same way.

"I know-he's just-um-" He struggled to find the right word to describe Alec.

Special?

Different?

_Perfect_?

Jem seemed to understand it though. He gave Magnus another kind and knowing smile. "I get it."

Before Magnus could respond, they were interrupted by the sound of loud and obnoxious coughing coming from his doorway.

They both turned to find Will standing there.

"Are you still bitching and moaning about that guy that you met in the park?" His roommate asked, voice filled with mirth.

Jem rose from Magnus' bed and walked over to his boyfriend, "Be nice, William." He admonished lightly.

As he got closer, Will held out his hand and Jem immediately moved to intertwine their fingers together. "Why should I when laughing at his pain is so much more fun?"

Will and Ragnor, whenever he decided that Magnus was worth his time, took every opportunity to mock him for so obviously pining over Alec.

He was planning on seeking vengeance for them being the lousiest best friends in the universe as soon as he actually figured out whatever it was that was going on between him and Alec.

Jem sighed but cast Magnus a look that said if Magnus wanted to draft him for his plan of vengeance, he would definitely want in on it.

"Let's go, Will." He said while pulling on his boyfriend's hand and dragging him out of the room. "Good luck, Magnus!" He called out before walking back through his door and pulling it closed behind them.

And his friend had wished him luck because he was meeting up with Alec today.

Not just meeting up either:

The boy was coming to the apartment.

* * *

A couple of hours later a buzzing sound filled his room.

Magnus shot up from his bed-perhaps a bit too quickly but he would never admit to that- and walked over to the intercom in the living room.

"Who is it?" He asked, knowing that it could only be one person.

"Er," A familiar voice came from the speaker system. "It's me. I mean, Alec. Alec Lightwood?"

Magnus smiled as he pressed the button that would unlock the door. The man already sounded so flustered and Magnus found himself wishing that he could see the blush that would surely be gracing his pale cheeks.

Magnus went to stand in the entryway.

About a minute later, Magnus was able to see him. His hair was just as messy as usual, and the sweater that he had on was actually hideous, but Magnus felt his heart beat painfully in his chest all the same.

Alec smiled up at him and held up his phone, "Hey-you ready for this?"

Magnus smirked back before stepping away from the door, "Of course. After you."

When they had texted yesterday, Alec had brought up one of his favorite bands in passing and when Magnus revealed that he had never heard of them, the younger man demanded that he listen to them immediately.

So of course, Magnus had capitalized on the opportunity and told him that they should listen to the music together in his apartment.

Magnus showed him how to hook up his phone to the stereo system and suddenly the living room was filled with the sounds of alternative rock.

As they sat down on the floor together, Alec looked tentative and nervous as if Magnus was going to condemn him for his music taste.

It was vastly different from what Magnus usually listened to and what he played on his violin but he found himself liking it.

When he told the other man as much, Alec's whole face lit up like the light of the sun and Magnus found himself thinking that he would be willing to say anything to be able to see that smile every second of every day.

* * *

They just sat on the floor, sometimes looking at each other, sometimes closing their eyes, sometimes speaking, sometimes just listening to the music.

And it was amazing.

Being around Alec was as easy as breathing. He didn't have to pretend to be something that he wasn't and even if he wanted to, one look at Alec's open and trusting face would stop him in his tracks.

Magnus had his eyes closed and was listening to the lead singer's crooning voice when he heard a sound coming from his side.

He opened his eyes and looked over at Alec. "Did you say something, love?"

Alec flushed and he bit down on his lip as if he was contemplating whether or not to speak.

Magnus sat up straighter and raised an eyebrow. Now he really wanted to know.

"You-um-uh-y-you like me right?" The other man finally got out.

Magnus' eyebrows furrowed for a second. Where was Alec going with this?

He nodded anyway, "Yes, of course."

He was starting to think he more than liked Alec- not that he would admit to that out loud.

"And do you-uh-find-me-attractive?"

He nodded again and tried to meet the boy's eyes but the blue orbs were focused on a spot just beyond his ear, "Very much so."

Alec took a couple deep breaths as if to steady himself before continuing, "Then why haven't you- Why have you not-  _Whyhaven'tyoutriedtokissme?"_

The younger man's face turned an even darker shade of red and his face looked stricken as if he couldn't believe the words that had come out of his mouth.

Magnus felt like his heart had stopped beating.

Alec had thought about kissing him?

Magnus shook his head slightly to clear it and tried to play it off as if he wasn't as flustered and excited as he actually was.

"Well every time I so much as touch your arm, you get this look on your face as if you're about to pass out and I honestly have no idea how I would react to that so I figured that I should just-" Babbling probably wasn't the best 'playing it cool' strategy but he did not have time to mentally berate himself because he was cut off by lips pressing against his own.

Alec's lips were warm and soft and finally being able to kiss them was a million times better than Magnus had imagined in his head.

It was short and simple but it was everything.

The blue-eyed boy pulled back, his eyes scanning Magnus' face before finally meeting the golden green eyes of the older man.

Magnus smiled at him and finished the sentence that he had started before. "Wait."

Alec's raised an eyebrow, "For what?"

"I figured that I should just wait for you to kiss me. But since that is out of the way now-"

He trailed off as he reached out to run his knuckles over Alec's cheekbone.

He framed the younger man's face with his hands and pulled him back in for another kiss.

And another.

And another.

And another.

He never wanted to stop and it seemed like Alec felt the same way too.


	7. Chapter 7

Alec ran his fingers along his bottom lip. He couldn't hold back his smile as he thought back to what had happened yesterday:

He had kissed Magnus. 

Magnus had kissed him back.

It was everything and nothing at all like what he had spent so many nights thinking about. It felt like finally seeing light after spending his whole life in the darkness. Like being thrown into a volcano and melting but enjoying every second of it.

He wasn't exactly sure how long they had sat there on the floor, cool hands running along heated skin, tongues chasing into each other's mouths when they were suddenly interrupted by a loud groaning noise and a voice yelling out:

"Magnus! Remember the Tessa thing!"

Alec practically jumped out of his skin at the sound of the voice- not sure whether he should have felt more embarrassed because someone had walked in on them making out or confused about the subject of the conversation that Magnus was engaged in.

With heated cheeks, Alec looked up at the person that Magnus was currently bantering with.

He wasn't sure what he had been expecting but it definitely wasn't a man that looked so much like...him.

There were differences sure, his skin had more coloring to it than Alec's almost sickly looking pale, his blue eyes were a darker shade, his hair was curlier, and he spoke with a heavy English accent, but one couldn't deny the similarities either.

The man was halfway through a sentence when he suddenly cut off and looked over to meet Alec's eyes.

Under the indigo gaze, Alec couldn't help but feel like he was an interloper like he didn't deserve to bear witness to this moment between two friends. He had to force himself to keep eye contact and not look at the floor or the door just beyond the man's ear.

After seeming to give Alec a once over, the man smiled brightly at him. "Hi, I'm Will- Magnus' roommate. You're Alec right?"

He felt his eyes widen at the man- Will- addressing him by his name. Alec definitely had not given it to him so how did he know it?

Alec cleared his throat, "Uh-yeah."

Will's smile just seemed to grow. "It's nice to finally see you face to face. Magnus won't stop talking about you. It's always 'Alec has eyes the color of gemstones' this- and 'you could bounce a quarter off of his perfectly perfect abs' that- but now I see that he wasn't exaggerating."

Alec felt his eyes grow impossibly wider. He opened his mouth to speak but just ended up creating a noise that sounded like he was choking.

People never said things like that about him.

 _Never_.

It was hard enough to believe that Magnus actually liked him but to find out that he was also talking to his friends about Alec too? The whole thing just seemed surreal.

He looked back at Magnus to find the man pinching the bridge of his nose in exasperation but Alec could see the corner of his mouth curling up in slight amusement.

Will began to laugh as he continued moving into the apartment.

"Forgive Will," Magnus eventually started. "He was dropped a few too many times on his head when we were younger so he's not good in social interactions."

Will's laughter immediately cut off, "Hey-" He said indignantly. He walked over to the couch and plopped down next to Magnus' head.

Alec observed as he flicked Magnus on the ear and then they began to banter back and forth again. They spoke with the familiarity of two people who had known each other for so long that their arguments had a pattern and a structure- they knew how the other was going to react before the words even came out of their mouths. Plus, he and Magnus might have been quick to bicker, but the love between them was practically palpable.

It made Alec wonder whether he and his siblings looked like that when they interacted.

Will ended up staying with them for quite some time but Alec didn't mind. He, like Magnus, had an aversion to silence so he was quick to fill it up even when Alec was at a loss for what to say. He was extremely funny, telling Alec stories about when he and Magnus were kids growing up in England and all of the trouble that they got into along with their friend Ragnor.

He even went so far as to sing along to the music that was still playing in the background- loud and horribly off-key, sometimes even offbeat but it caused Alec to laugh so hard that tears streamed down his face.

About an hour later, Will announced, "I like this one, Maggie."

Magnus grimaced slightly at the use of his nickname before snorting, "So do I, but may I remind you that you already have a boyfriend?"

"Jem won't mind he-crap!" Will sat up from his position on the couch so fast that he nearly fell off.

"What now?" Magnus asked, raising an eyebrow at his friend.

"I forgot that I only came back to get something for Jem-" And with a few more muttered expletives and something that sounded like 'he's going to kill me' Will was up from the couch and speed walking into what Alec assumed to be his bedroom.

Magnus got up from the floor, laughing. "He's probably going to need help looking for it." He stated before walking into Will's room behind him.

Alec was alone for all of a minute before both of them emerged from the room again, Magnus still looking amused and Will booking it toward the front door.

"It was nice to meet you, Alec!" He called over his shoulder, sounding somewhat distracted, before disappearing through the door.

After Will had left, Magnus spared a few jokes at his friend's expense about him never being able to remember anything and wondering out loud about why Jem- his boyfriend- still bothered to keep him around. But then Magnus had placed a kiss on his shoulder and tried to legitimately apologize for Will interrupting their date.

Alec had leaned forward and placed a quick kiss to the man's lips before reassuring him that it was no big deal.

He had actually enjoyed himself and besides…

Will was nothing compared to Jace and Izzy.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little Will and Jem action for your entertainment this time around:)

Will remembered being woken up by the sound of laughter in his ears. He opened his eyes to discover that he was still in the same position on the floor that he had fallen asleep in. 

When he turned his head to face the source of the laughter he found not one, but both of his roommates standing above him. He fought the urge to groan.

Neither of them would ever let him live this down.

"Wow-" Ragnor started. Will already wanted to disappear through the floor. "For someone who claims to not be over Tessa, you seem really smitten."

Will felt his lips turn into a sneer. "I never said I wasn't over her, you  _ass_."

He just hadn't felt like dating much since they had broken up a couple of months ago.

Any sadness or signs of missing her were carefully hidden and locked away in the deepest recesses of his mind. They were buried so deep that they were hidden from everyone. Including himself.

The only times that any of it slipped through to the surface was when he managed to get himself so drunk that he could barely stand. But everyone knew that drunken confessions that one could not remember making the next day didn't even count as real confessions.

_Why couldn't his friends understand that?_

He received twin looks of disbelief from both of his roommates.

Will moved to stand up and he felt his bones ache after finally being able to move after hours of being in the same position. But standing up to his full height didn't make him feel any better. He was just that much closer to his two friends and their inquisitive eyes.

Two pairs of green eyes that reminded him of a country that seemed like it was a whole lifetime away instead of just an ocean. They were eyes that reminded him of his happiest and saddest moments at the same time. They were eyes that had been there for so long that he could no longer imagine going through life without them.

Even when they belonged to the two dickheads that dared to call themselves his 'friends'.

He crossed his arms over his chest and tried to look as dignified as possible.

"Was there something that you two wanted?" He asked, raising his eyebrows.

Ragnor also crossed his arms over his chest and continued to smile down at Will. Will remembers being slightly put out due to the fact that Ragnor had looked happy. With his friend's constant grumpy attitude and the fact that he was just generally miserable most of the time, the times that he was legitimately happy, Will always found it hard to stay mad at him.

But he could still try.

"Not really- Magnus told me about you experienced love at first sight when you saw his friend and I came in here to see if it was true." He then gestured to Will's position against the wall. "Clearly it is."

He kept his composure for all of five seconds before meeting Magnus' eyes again which started a whole new round of cackling.

Will refused to let his skin flush at the words.

If he blushed, then they won. And if they won, then he would have to move out. His shitty office job might pay him a decent amount of money, but it wouldn't be enough to pay for an apartment as nice as the one that they currently lived in. So he would not let his 'friends' get to him.

He was  _not_  in love with Jem.

Was Will intrigued?

_Yes._

Did he find Jem attractive?

_Definetly._

Did he want to see Jem again? 

_As soon as possible._

But love?

_No._

Absolutely not.

* * *

Will might have refused to acknowledge the fact that he felt something for Jem nine months ago but now he never wanted to stop.

He was in love with every last centimeter that made up Jem Carstairs.

He loved the way the light hit Jem's eyes and hair making them glow a brilliant silver flame that could never be extinguished.

He loved the way that Jem's hands were soft and gentle yet strong. The way he could run his fingers along Will's face as if it were made of glass, but also grip onto his hand and keep him grounded-be the sturdiest thing in Wills' life.

He loved the way that Jem was artistic in everything that he did. He moved with the grace and precision of the finest dancer, every movement beautiful and intentional. He was full of music and song. Whether he was practicing on his violin, humming under his breath, tapping out a beat on the coffee table, or letting out little breathless noises as Will thrust into him over and over, voice slowly growing in volume as he grew closer to his climax.

And then there was the thing that Will was currently filing under the infinite list of things that he loved about Jem: the fact that his boyfriend smelled so good- like honey and tea and sweat and sex.

Will trailed his lips down the man's neck, nipping at his pulse point, lightly sucking on his Adam's apple, and running his teeth along his sharp collar bones. His boyfriend hummed low in his throat and Will felt long fingers running through his hair.

"Will-" Jem's sentence trailed off as he gasped.

He smiled against the man's pale skin before responding. "Yes, love?"

"You know we don't have time for this." His boyfriend attempted to admonish him lightly but the effect was muted due to the fact that he had yet to remove his fingers from Will's hair.

"I'll make it quick." Will murmured while continuing his ministrations.

"No, you won't." Jem's fingers trailed down from his scalp to his upper back, causing a shiver to run down Will's spine.

"You're right, I won't." Will smiled again, biting down into the man's skin making him moan low in his throat.

"You're going to make me miss my flight." Jem's voice started to take on a breathless quality which caused Will to feel slightly lightheaded.

"Would that really be so bad? Can't we just stay in bed all morning?"

Will made to move so that he could be hovering over the other man's chest when suddenly he was being flipped over onto his back.

Jem straddled his waist and grabbed his wrists, pinning them above his head.

His boyfriend smirked down wickedly at him and he felt his heart skip a beat in his chest.

From this position he could see every smooth, pale line of Jem's chest, long neck, almost impossibly pink lips, and his shaded eyelids, all looking as perfect as if they had been carved from marble.

He wouldn't mind staying in this position for a while.

"I need to take a shower. You can feel free to join me but if you're really adamant about staying in bed all day, you're just going to have to do it alone-"

His boyfriend leaned down to press their lips together one more time before getting up from the bed and heading over to the bathroom.

Will laid there for a moment, attempting to catch his breath, but as soon as he heard the shower turn on he was swinging his legs over the side.

He couldn't get to the bathroom fast enough.


End file.
